Posted by nmchnv on 10/27/2013 7:53:00 PM (view original):
I also like "he never touched home". Lets face it, if the shoe was on the other foot, every Red Sox fan would be citing Rule 7.06.
Some classic Boston expert on everything comments from a local blog.
Obviously that umpire was same referee who made the call at the Patriots game last weekend
Ironic that both the Sox last night, and Pat's last week, lost to umps/refs enforcing little used rules
On a regular season game, that play would have never been called - this is twice Jim Joyce has blown the outcome of a game...
The batter should have been called out after Craig interfered with Middlebrooks under Section 7.08(b)"A runner is declared out if (b) He intentionally interferes with a thrown ball; or hinders a fielder attempting to make a play on a batted ball;
Rule 7.08(b) Comment: A runner who is adjudged to have hindered a fielder who is attempting to make a play on a batted ball is out whether it was intentional or not.
Worst call in history of major league baseball
The ump was in favor of the cardinals. He didn't want the sox winning from the beginning
move on my *** file a protest
Def a bad call! Middlebrooks fell cause he got tackled. Where was he supposed to go? Disappear so the guy wouldn't trip on him?? These bad calls always happen to Boston
firstly rule 7.08(b) says the
runner is declared out not the batter (it says the batter should have been called out.....)
Also it is referring to a 'thrown ball' (meaning the ball while it's in the air not the act of throwing the ball or catching the ball) or a fielder attempting to make a play a batted ball and it states 'intentionally'. These are all key in understanding how this rule 'may' apply in this case.
So, the ball was hit to Dustin (playing 2B) and he threw home to get the runner coming home. Nobody interfered in this part of the play at all. So the rule doesn't apply to this part of the play. Now did anyone
intentionally interfere with the catcher's throw to 3rd base? No. The ball on it's way to third base is not intentionally interfered with. It's a bad throw.
Rule 7.08(b) Comment...this is referring only to a batted ball, not a thrown ball. Since the infielder that played the batted ball (Pedoria) was not hindered in any way, this comment doesn't apply to the play at all.
The fact the runner never touched home, doesn't matter. The fact the Umpire declared him safe at home due to being obstructed. Being declared safe is the same as touching the base in this case. So he doesn't have to, in order for the run to count.
As for what is Middlebrooks supposed to do etc....Well that is what sucks, because it's likely no matter what he does, the runner trips over him. You can see the runner looking to see where the ball has gone as he gets up. He does not notice Middlebrooks on the ground. He turns to head to plate and that is when he sees where 3rd baseman is. The runner has no way to avoid tripping over him. Unfortunately, the obstruction rule, does take intent into account...So again as I said before, the umps got it correct. Hate the rule, not person that enforces it.
Admitted, this rule is rarely applied. But not because it is ignored etc but because it rarely comes up. I've been an ump for 10+ years in slo-pitch, I'd say I would only need 1 hand to count times I've called this. I'll bet for ML umps the times they've had to call it at the ML level is even less.
10/27/2013 9:49 PM (edited)